#ROOTEDUMC
2024 ROOTED WORKSHOPS
Monday - September 16
10:00 AM Pre-Conference Gatherings
Children's Ministry Meet and Greet
Lake Room North
This meet and greet space is an open room to intentionally connect with people at Rooted right off the bat. Grab some food and some coffee and join in the conversation.​
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Youth Ministry Meet and Greet
Lake Room South
This meet and greet space is an open room to intentionally connect with people at Rooted right off the bat. Grab some food and some coffee and join in the conversation.​​
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1:00 PM Workshops
​Leading Yourself: The Role You Play in Ministry Burnout
Lake Room North
Rev. Brian Lawson (with special Guest Kirsten Knox)
In this interactive workshop, we will explore the ways that self-management influences our experiences in youth and children's ministry. We will share insights into balancing responsibilities, maintaining energy levels, and strategies for refreshing your soul while maintaining effectiveness in ministry. This class is targeting folks who have been in ministry for 5 years or less.
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2 Part Session: Session 1: Enneagram Overview
Lake Room South
The Enneagram is a personality system that identifies nine distinct types, each with its own core motivations, fears, and desires. It helps individuals understand their own behaviors and thought patterns, as well as those of others, promoting personal growth and improved relationships. This workshop will provide an overview of it and spark participants to explore knowing themselves more deeply.
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Staying Impactful and Relevant for those who remember myspace, AOL instant messenger and answering machines
Lakeside Extension
Targeted for those with 10+ years of ministry experience. How do you keep your passion for students? We will discuss ways to keep ministry impactful and meaningful for you and your students. The second half we will look at ways to help you stay current with cultural trends.
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Confirmation: A Disciple's Path from Church Kid to Church Grown-Up
Fellowship Hall
"Do you really believe that? Really?" Someday somebody’s gonna ask your kids that question. It might be someone else, or they may look in the mirror someday and ask themselves. Whether yours have been church kids since birth, or if they just started. They're going to be asked. Someday somebody's gonna ask, and their answer will affect the rest of their lives. Is that too dramatic? The rest of their life? Can one answer to one question really matter that much? Yes, it can. Ask around. Ask anybody who was a church kid growing up, but isn’t a church grown-up. Ask anybody who gave up on being a part of a church. They’ll probably tell you that question was the reason. "Do you really believe that?" Lately churches have done a pretty terrible job helping church kids become church grown-ups. That’s why so many people who once answered “yes” now answer “no.” It’s time to change that. It’s time for Confirmation to be an intentional effort to help church kids successfully become church grown-ups.
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Children's Ministry - A Form of Mission Work
Roadside Extension
Throughout my years in ministry, I've come to realize that Children's Ministry is indeed mission work. Embracing this insight has not only reshaped my perspective on Children's Ministry but also revolutionized how I approach, organize and plan programming and events, both inside and outside the church walls. Join me to discover how adopting this mindset can transform your leadership and elevate your ministry.​
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3:15 PM Workshops
Choosing Forgiveness
Chapel
Choosing Forgiveness will help us move forward to hope and healing in the life of the church. In his book, FORGIVE, author, Timothy Keller challenges us to answer two questions about Forgiveness: Why should I and How Can I? This class will explore the necessity of learning how to forgive and what it means to move forward beyond our brokenness and pain.
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​​​2 Part Session: Session 2: Contemplative Practice
Lake Room South
Contemplative Prayer Workshop: Participants will learn and experience contemplative practices that focus on silent meditation and mindful presence. Attendees learn techniques to quiet the mind and open their hearts, fostering a deeper communion with Christ and their inner selves. The workshop offers a supportive environment for personal growth and spiritual exploration through structured exercises and shared experiences.
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​​Holy Disruptions: Faith Formation through Theological Reflection
Lake Room North
What if young people, instead of being given answers, were encouraged to engage in questions and take on the role of theologians? This is the essence of Holy Disruptions, a method of faith formation that promotes a simple rhythm of theological reflection. It acknowledges the profound capacity of young people to do 'theology together' with adults, allowing God to guide them in creating transformational, Holy Disruption in the world.
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Reimagining Sunday Mornings
Roadside Extension
Reimagining Sunday morning involves creating a dynamic and engaging environment where faith comes alive. By incorporating interactive lessons, variety of out of the box ideas, and real-life service applications, Sunday morning can become a place where participants not only learn about their faith but also experience it in meaningful ways. This fresh approach fosters deeper connections, encourages active participation, and makes the journey of faith both exciting and relevant.​​​
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Fun and Easy Ice Breakers and Games for Ministry Leaders
Fellowship Hall
Struggling to plan and lead engaging games in your ministry? In this workshop, we’ll cover the fundamentals of leading games in ministry and equip you with practical tools to facilitate activities that will have your students eagerly asking, “What game are we playing tonight?” every week.
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4:30 PM Workshops
​​​Launching Your Tween Ministry
Lake Room North
Tweens are an awesome group of kids who are ready for Youth Group, but Youth Group isn't ready for them. They still have growing to do and this in-between age can make Sunday mornings in Children's Ministries feel baby-ish. This class will teach you how to grow a tween ministry that bridges the gap between Children's and Youth Ministries.
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Leading a Mission-Minded Youth Ministry
Lake Room South
What is Mission-Minded Youth Ministry? How do I lead a ministry that meets the needs of the community and students where they’re at?
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Courageous Dialogues: Navigating Tough Conversations with Grace
Lakeside Extension
Join us for an interactive workshop designed to empower you with the skills and confidence to engage in challenging conversations effectively. Whether it's addressing conflict, giving constructive feedback, or discussing sensitive topics, mastering the art of tough conversations is essential for personal and professional growth. Through practical tips, role-playing, and thoughtful discussion, you'll learn strategies to foster understanding, build trust, and achieve positive outcomes, all while maintaining empathy and respect. Don't shy away from difficult discussions—embrace them with courage and grace!
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Storytelling Through Communication: Importance, Methods, & When to Do What
Roadside Extension
An interactive workshop focused on the power of storytelling to communicate the heart of your ministry. We’ll discuss how to clearly articulate "the why" behind what you do, using “storytelling” to inspire and engage youth, parents, and the church. We'll explore various communication methods—digital, verbal, and written—and emphasize when to use each effectively. This workshop will equip you with the tools to craft stories that not only build connection and communication, but also convey the purpose and vision driving your ministry.​
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Campus Ministry / Young Adult Workers Breakout
Fellowship Hall
This time is meant to provide space for folks who work with college students and folks just out of college in your local context. This conversaiont will be centered around how we need to / should think of new expressions of church withing our Wesleyan Heritage.​
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Tuesday - September 17
9:00 AM Workshops
​​Leading in Ministry While Deconstructing
Lakeside Extension
We all have an inherited or embedded faith, theology, or dogma—beliefs we were taught or that we assumed to be true based on what we were taught. Over time, and through various sources of information, pieces of that inherited faith may begin to unravel when examined in the light of scholarship or simply another faithful perspective. This is one way to understand 'deconstruction.' How can we faithfully respond to God's call in our lives while we are in the process of reexamining our embedded faith? This class will provide an opportunity to discuss our individual faith journeys and offer grounding principles to support Children's and Youth Ministry workers who are 'deconstructing' or reexamining their inherited or embedded faith.
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​​​​Discipleship at Home: Equipping Parents to be Spiritual Leaders
Roadside Extension
Parents/Guardians are the primary influencers of every child's faith journey, but many don't feel equipped and prepared to be leaders. Learn how you can encourage and empower parents/guardians to feel equipped to become spiritual leaders to their children.
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​​​​​​​​Come to us or we'll come to you; It's a both/and!
Lake Room North
Do we invite students/children to come meet us for events at the church? Do we ask students/children what their weeks/weekends are like and go to them? Is it a both/and? What do we tell our pastor, SPRC, or other supervisors when we attend a game or concert? Let's get into some discussion about finding all the ways to increase our time around students & children.
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Having difficult conversations- Tools for the journey
Lake Room South
In ministry we often have to engage in conversations that are tense, difficult, and or uncomfortable. Rather than avoid these often important conversations, we can learn tools that will help us to engage our emotional intelligence, stay grounded in the present and engage in productive, healthy dialogue.
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11:30 AM Workshops
​​​​Holistic Ministry: Ecclesiology as Missiology
Lakeside Extension
We often talk about not wanting our ministries to be siloed. What are the theological basics that drive collaboration? What are the practical things we can do based on those convictions? How can we apply them? How will this benefit my ministry area?
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Volunteers: Finding, Training, and Retaining
Roadside Extension
Angie Engelthaler and Paula Coker-Jones
We will share how we find, train, retain and thank out volunteers. We will also ask you to share how your find and keep your volunteers. Let's share all our ideas together to help each other grow their ministries.
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Inside the Child/Youth Protection Policy
Lake Room North
A thoughtful discussion on the challenges we face in protecting our children. Learn crucial information on why the Child/Youth Protection policy was created, ways it can be effectively implemented, and ways we can address developing challenges.
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Evangelism: The Gospel and Your Story
Lake Room South
A beautiful look at how our story builds bridges to sharing the good news with other people. If your life has been changed by your relationship with Jesus, you have a story to tell. This workshop will help you connect with your story, hear each other's stories, and learn how to help your students own their stories.
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